A Necessary Arrangement
by Iryl
Summary: Heero's mother is coming for Christmas and she thinks he has a wife! HYxRP Pure fluff. Rated for innuendo and brief nudity. **Chapters fixed April 2008.**
1. Christmas Party

**Author's Notes**

It's been a few years, they're all 18, and I'm softening Heero a little. He actually talks some and is a bit more open with his emotions. Not as open as Quatre, more like Trowa is (note, Trowa does smile more than Heero in the series, I think), not so cold and impersonal as he used to be. Just imagine he's been living out of the army for a while and had to warm up slightly to people. (i.e., he actually _replies_ to questions and comments...) Also, I am incorporating the theory that his real name is Aiden Lowe, and (very important) I am _not_ going by the traditional explanation of Heero's youth.

Also, note that this story is straight fluff. Don't expect much in the way of plot or consistency.

Rated for innuendo and brief nudity.

**Chapter 1: Christmas Party**

It was almost Christmas time and eighteen-year-old Relena Darlian-Peacecraft was dancing with a man twice her age.

How in Deathscythe Hell did I get into _this_ situation? she asked herself as a man twice this one's age winked at her. She sighed, the answer coming all too quickly. Maybe because I just inherited half the Sanq Kingdom's royal treasury? There hadn't been much left, but it was enough to last her several generations, even when split with her brother.

The party dwindled slower than she would have liked, and Relena was finally able to excuse herself for the night and retire to her room. After a moment, her brother Miliardo came up to tell her goodnight.

"Did you have a good time?" he sat on her bed and put an arm around her. Relena smiled up at him and nodded, hugging him back.

"It was lovely," she lied. He had worked so hard to make this day nice, she didn't dare disappoint him. He had been trying to make up for lost time together ever since the last war had ended and peace had taken control.

"Well, I have another surprise for you," he said, going to her door and opening it as Relena tried to paste a false smile on her face that looked convincing enough. She was very tired and wanted to be done with boring parties.

"Surprise!" a group of people called, piling into her room. Relena gasped and laughed happily as the Gundam Pilots and their female counterparts piled gifts onto her bed and lap. All her friends from the war were there, chattering excitedly, and Duo even went as far as to kiss her cheek as he handed her his and Hilde's present. She smiled at the pair, happy, having heard about their successful little repair shop in the city and congratulating them for it. They grinned and shared a small smile, which Relena caught and wondered at as Catherine brought up her present. Was there something else going on between the pair of them that went beyond their supposed friendship?

Quatre came forward with a beautiful gilded birdcage, a silken blue cloth covering it, and the darkness of the fabric reminding her sadly of a young man's eyes whom she had noticed wasn't here. Wiping thoughts of him from her mind as she was so accustomed to doing, Relena peeked under the cloth and found a small bird sleeping on the perch. It ruffled and shook itself, but settled back down as she watched. "It's a nightingale," Quatre told her, "and will keep you company with its song." He smiled gently. "I hope you don't mind birds."

"No," she straightened, her eyes wet with joy. She had always loved Quatre's sweetness and now, after all those money-grubbing dance partners, it meant more to her than anything . . . they all did. Relena bent forward to hug him and the tears spilled over, "I love it, really."

"You're crying." He looked worried, but she smiled as more tears fell.

"I'm just so happy," Relena looked around at everyone, "Thank you, guys."

"I hope I'm not too late," a calm voice stated from the doorway, and they all turned to be greeted with the sight of the Wing Gundam's pilot leaning against the doorjamb.

"No, of course not," Relena told him gracefully, and he came forward to hand her his own present. "Thank you." She looked around at everyone, holding Heero's present in her hands as he stepped back, and she made a concerned face. "But I don't have anything for all of you."

"Eh," Duo waved it off, "That's all right, you can just go shopping tomorrow." He let out a whoosh of air as Hilde elbowed him, and they all blinked as Heero laughed. Even windless Duo smirked in his doubled-over position to see the usually stoic pilot's good humor.

"Well," Milliardo spoke up, "You can all share the guest rooms if you like, and stay here for a few days. I know some of you traveled very far." He looked at Quatre who smiled and nodded gratefully. Shooting a glance at the once-again silent Heero, the soldier only nodded once, agreeing to the idea. In the meantime, Catherine was urging Relena to open her gifts, but the princess bit her lip and shook her head.

"I should wait until Christmas, don't you think?" she looked up at the others. "That would give me time to get all of you something, and we could have a little party!" She smiled sweetly and everyone in the room agreed, though Sally had to coerce Wufei into the idea of missing a few days of work. That settled, Relena got everyone to help her take the things down to her private living room, where a Christmas tree was set up, and Relena happily recalled when she, Milliardo, and Noin had decorated it. It was strung with popcorn on thread, and homey old ornaments, sparkling after the polishing they'd gotten after being in the attic for so long. On the front of the tree, just for memory's sake, Relena had bought five cheap little Gundam miniatures from a dollar store and hung them up. And atop the tree, crowned in all it's tiny glory, sat the rough dark-haired paper angel Milliardo had made in honor of his wife, Noin. It was supposed to be a likeness of her, but looked a little like an ice cream cone paper turned upside down, a foam ball stuck on the point, and a mop of dark blue yarn glued to the top with a paper doily cut and taped to the back. All in all, a pathetic effort, if a romantic gesture, and Noin had loved it.

"There!" Relena said, surveying the pile of presents under the tree. It was a small pile, only Relena, Noin, and Milliardo's gifts to each other were there before, and the new ones only added to the slight bulk, but Relena was determined to make the pile grow starting this week, when she would employ Noin to go shopping with her for the others.

Yes, this Christmas would be a lovely one.


	2. Breakfast

**Chapter 2: Breakfast**

"Hello? Peacecraft residence." Pagan answered the phone, listening for a moment before blinking and looking over at the group of sleepy people eating breakfast, who gazed back at him with the eyes of lazily grazing cows as they chewed, sleep still evident in their faces. After a moment's more pause, he called, "Mr. Yuy?"

Everyone blinked as Heero, who had paid no attention to the phone, stood and walked over in bemusement. "Hn?" he grunted after putting the piece to his ear. As the person on the other end spoke, he suddenly looked much more alert, standing straighter, the sleep leaving his eyes, even some semblance of alarm entering them. "What?!" he said quietly, furious. "You told her what?!" He stood a moment more, muttered, "I see," then hung up slowly, sinking into the spindly-legged chair beside the phone table and hanging his head slightly, deep in thought.

"Um," Duo started, a piece of bacon hanging from his mouth as they stared at the usually imperturbable Wing pilot, who was sitting with his head between his knees. "What was that?"

"Something bad," Heero muttered between his legs.

Duo snorted, "Must be the end of the world. What's so terrible, man?"

Heero raised his head and halfway sat up. "My mother's coming to visit."

"You have a mother?" Quatre asked as Catherine patted Relena on the back, the latter having swallowed her muffin too quickly and gotten choked on it.

Duo grinned, "Well, that's great! We can meet the old lady!"

Heero's expression did not change. "She thinks I'm married. Dr. J told her I was . . . married. They're coming here."

"Well," Duo blinked, "just explain you're not when they get here."

"She'll kill me."

"Heero-kun," Quatre spoke gently, "she's your mother, she'll understand."

Heero only raised an eyebrow, but Duo said it for him. "Look at the son she raised."

"But I thought Dr. J raised you," Trowa commented, sipping his coffee.

"She gave me to him," Heero grimaced, "I still remember her, though. Very tough woman."

"What should we do?" Relena spoke for the first time, looking concerned.

Heero glanced up at her as if he'd just realized her presence. "I get out of here and try to keep alive," he replied, standing up.

"Nonsense," Milliardo stood up purposefully. "We'll help you. What all do you need?"

"You don't need to," Heero replied stonily, but was overwhelmed by protests.

"Of course we'll help!"

"You have to let us!"

Heero scowled, "I'm not getting married."

"You don't have to," Milliardo was thinking furiously, a hand to his chin. "We can just make her believe you are."

Heero let out a sigh and looked up at the other man without antagonism. "I'm not . . . good at that type of thing. Even if it's just pretending."

Milliardo nodded in understanding. "That's alright. Not all married couples are very affectionate in public. It's fine if you're not." The blonde man looked at Noin, who nodded.

Heero groaned and put his head on his knees again, "If it was anyone but my mother . . . alright, I'll do it."


	3. A Wife

**Chapter 3: A Wife**

"I hope you don't mind this," Relena said as she tossed a few embroidered pillows on her pink and white comforter. A few feet away, Heero finished arranging his dark blue sheets with military precision. The two contrasting single beds were far enough away from each other for decency, but close enough to fool a curious mother. They had decided on Relena as Heero's fake wife because Trowa was against Catherine doing such a thing, Sally was already married to Wufei, and Hilde just didn't want to.

"No," he replied simply, unemotional for all the kindness of the words, "I appreciate the effort all of you are making."

"It's no problem." Relena smiled over at him where he was digging through an old black duffel bag, her heart twisting oddly to see him doing such an ordinary task. "You're a friend and we're all happy to help you out."

". . ." He frowned at the gun he was pulling out. "I just hate owing people." Slipping the clip into the sleek black gun, he flipped the safety on and put it in the back of his waistband, covered by his jacket.

Relena glanced up at the clock and noted how late it was. They had spent all day getting this room decorated as if Relena and Heero really shared it. Pastels alternated with complementing darker colors, the nightingale by the cream-curtained balcony window, and the shelves were filled with assortments of books, many they had borrowed from Milliardo's study, and the rest were Relena's own collection, moved from her room. Heero had picked up one of her books as they were arranging them, and looked at her oddly. 'Love on the Lagoon?' he'd asked. Relena had flushed and jerked it from his hand, sticking it behind all the political books she'd been organizing.

'A girl has to have _some_ romance around,' she'd murmured. 'God knows I don't have time for the real thing; so I improvise.' He'd only looked at her burning cheeks oddly for a moment as she dug in her boxes of books, then turned back to his own work.

Relena let out a jaw-popping yawn as she lay down the last rug, and Heero blinked over at her. She blushed and apologized. "Guess I'm pretty tired." She looked at the comfortable bed she'd just made up, got a devilish twinkle in her eye, and promptly swept all the embroidered pillows onto the floor. Ignoring the odd look Heero was giving her, she happily dug in her chest of drawers (which Duo, Milliardo, and Wufei had had to carry from her room to this one since it was just down the hall and faster than bringing all her stuff from it one bit at a time).

Pulling out a white t-shirt and pink boxer shorts, Relena strode purposefully into the bathroom and shut the door, coming out after a short while with her hair tied up in a long ponytail, a self-satisfied smile on her face as she turned back her bedcovers, then stopped, thinking of something and looking around with a frown.

"Not going to dinner?" Heero asked since he was about to go eat with the others, and purposely ignored the full figure those slim night-clothes clad.

"No," she still looked preoccupied, and he wondered what was bothering her as he left.

"The marriage working out?" Duo grinned as Heero took his seat. All he received was a patented death glare and a request to pass the bread. Duo just shrugged. "Guess not."

In the middle of the meal, a distraught Relena came into the room and took Noin away.

Upstairs, the two women looked everywhere they had been moving things, but had no luck in their searches. "You looked under your bed?" Noin asked as she got down to look under the dresser in Relena's scavenged old room.

"Twice," Relena sat down on her Queen-sized bed with a sigh, "I just can't believe he disappeared. Maybe," her voice wobbled, "maybe somebody threw him out. He's pretty old."

Noin yawned as Relena got down to check under the bed again, and the princess let out an unhappy breath as a dark figure stopped outside the door on his way to another room farther down, listening unnoticed to the conversation. "I can't sleep without him!" Relena glanced over at Noin who was in the middle of another yawn and trying to hide it. "Oh, Noin, you're so sweet, but go on to bed if you're tired. I'll find him myself." Relena smiled sweetly and pushed her friend out the door, closing it behind her, then got down to some serious searching.

In the hall, Noin smiled sleepily at Heero, who she passed on her way to her rooms. "Two years and she still can't go to sleep without that silly bear," she shook her head, "I can't even remember who gave it to her, but the thing's been stitched, stuffed, patched, and cleaned more times than I can count. Oh well." Noin ruffled her own hair sleepily and turned to go to her and Milliardo's room, not catching the almost startled look of the Wing pilot.

Heero went thoughtfully to the room he was sharing with Relena and looked sharply around it, then searched methodically in and under furniture. After a few minutes, he lifted the blankets hanging to the floor from his own bed, looking beneath it, and reached to pull out an old teddy bear. Its fur was worn and slightly rough from continuous cuddling, one of the eyes had been sewn back on poorly, the bow was limp and faded, and a few stitches in the left side were starting to come out, revealing some white stuffing.

It was the teddy bear he had given her for her sixteenth birthday.

As he stood there holding it, the door opened, and Heero turned to see a very dejected – and dusty – Relena entering, her head bowed to hide the tears from him. "Hn," he said, watching her crawl into bed and curl up in a little ball, facing away from him. After a moment, he walked slowly over to place a hand on her shoulder, which he could feel shaking slightly, and she stirred a bit before he settled the little bear into her arms.

Relena gasped and sat halfway up, staring at her bear before turning and blinking up at Heero with eyes red and puffy from crying. "Where–?"

He gave an almost-smile, replying, "Under my bed. Now sleep." He placed a comforting hand on her head before turning and flicking off most of the lights, leaving a small lamp by his bed while he went to the bathroom to change. When he got out, he climbed into his own bed and plunged the room into darkness.

Relena listened as his breathing steadied in the room, noting happily that he did not snore like her brother, and hugged her bear closer, cuddling down into her own bed, content for the first time in weeks as she drifted off into exhausted slumber.


	4. Mother

**Chapter 4: Mother**

It was the following day as everyone was sitting around playing games or watching "Gone with the Wind" that the door burst open and a tall brown-haired woman came striding powerfully in. Behind her walked the slower Dr. J, and Heero stood immediately from his unsuccessful attempt to beat Quatre in Monopoly (he should have known better than to challenge a rich guy to a game of money). The woman took one sweeping look around the room, then, seeming satisfied with what she saw, walked to Heero and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Aiden, darling, you look well!" Ignoring his wince at the old name and the curious glances of the others, she demanded, "Now, where is she?"

"Out," he replied as she started to survey the girls of the room again. Her gaze swiftly turned back on him, disapproving. "Buying Christmas gifts," he added, and her expression lightened.

"Ah, as a proper wife _should_ care for her household," she replied, nodding. "When will she be back?" The tall brown-haired woman adjusted her cuff masterfully, and Heero was nervous because he did not know. Fortunately, the front door was filled with a gust of cold wind and three chattering females and Heero sighed in relief to see Noin, Sally, and Relena enter the room, Pagan struggling up the steps in the hallway behind them loaded with shopping bags stacked too high for him to see over, but somehow making it upstairs and out of sight.

"We're back, honey," Noin went to Miliardo, who was still a little sniffly from a sad scene in the movie, and got a small welcome-home kiss.

Heero's mother watched this scene intently, then transferred her gaze meaningfully to Relena, waiting to see what the girl would do, and obviously expecting a repetition. Relena simply gave her best political smile and curtseyed deeply. "It is an honor to have you here, ma'am."

The older woman smiled, a little pleased, and replied, "Call me Mom." Then continued to watch Relena, making the tension in the room rise to an uncomfortable level.

Relena handled it gracefully, though, walking over to Heero and taking his arm. "I know you want to visit with your mother, but you promised to help me with wrapping," she told him and led him from the room with a polite nod to his mother. "There is food in the kitchen, and you only need to ask Pagan if you want something."

"Of course," she replied after a brief hesitation and a flash of comprehension in her eye. Relena noted the knowing smirk on the woman's face as they left.

"Thanks," Heero told her as they got to the second floor, and Relena chuckled.

"Don't thank me yet," she sent him a mischievous glance, "I really am going to make you help me with wrapping."

He sighed and smiled, shaking his head. "All right." Relena's head went light at the look he gave her, and she suddenly blushed, releasing his arm quickly. She had held it the whole way up.


	5. Wrapping Paper

**Chapter 5: Wrapping Paper**

"Pink?" Heero looked at the shimmering wrapping paper askance and Relena leaned over to unroll a length. They sat at a table with wrapping paper, scissors, tape, and assorted ribbons on it.

"What's wrong with pink?" she asked. "I happen to love that color." He squinted at her.

"I know," his mouth pressed into a thin line. "I've seen your car." Her hands stopped as she looked up at him, and then she started laughing.

"You know," he added after a few minutes, when she had calmed down, "maybe you should get it repainted. Blue or black are always nice."

"You _would_ say that," she smiled, taping the side of one package. Heero took the moment to look at her. She had flowered and grown, filling out in the proper places, and was pretty and comfortable in jeans and an "I Love My Gundams" sweatshirt. Her hands were busy, and the left was covered with small pieces of tape as the right took the tape and held the folded paper down so that she could fasten it. It had been a long time since he had looked at her as female, and never had he seen her so beautiful. "Ack!" her hands slipped as she was lifting the package and he darted forward to catch the tumbling box before it could hit the floor and the contents break. Looking up, he found himself gazing into wide eyes that quickly melted into relief and she clapped briefly. "Good catch!"

"Sure." He handed it back to her and their fingers touched, eyes coming up and meeting above the package. Heero moved hesitantly toward her, drowning in her soft blue eyes, and – confident in what he found there – covered her mouth with his, the package slipping unheeded to the table as his arms encircled her waist and pulled her toward him, onto his lap. He lost himself for a moment; the girl in his arms was warm and responsive, and he trembled, feelings he had never experienced before shooting through him with incredible intensity.

"Heero," she breathed as his lips moved to nip at her neck, and her fingers laced themselves through his wildly thick hair, tugging lightly as he nibbled her honeyed skin.

"So I needn't have been so worried."

Relena leaped up, flushing wildly, as Heero's mother leaned against the doorjamb and smirked at them.

Relena clasped her hands nervously behind her back as they faced the woman and gave only fluttering quick glances to each occupant of the room, her cheeks aflame. "I promised Hilde I would help her," she got out awkwardly, "with . . . something." With the lame excuse her shield, she slipped past the older woman, avoiding her eyes, and hurried down the hallway to the den where she tried to lose herself with the others.

"I think you embarrassed her," Heero said as he wished his cheeks would cool down.

The woman at the door surveyed him a moment, then smiled. "I think I embarrassed _you_." A moment more and she added, "You could fry eggs on your face."

"Mother," he grated, suddenly annoyed. He looked up into widened cobalt blue eyes, exactly like his own except for the glint of malicious humor swirling in their depths. Her hair was darker than his own, but just as thick and luxurious. He lost his anger just as quickly, slumping slightly. "Let her be," he pleaded, but her eyes only twinkled as she turned.

"No, I think she's a fun one," the woman cast back a look to her exasperated son. "I might like her."

"Great," he muttered under his breath as she left.


	6. Snow

**Chapter 6: Snow**

Relena admired the landscape of her home as her friends walked around and talked. It had been Noin's idea to have a picnic in the back yard . . . the only obstacle to overcome being eight inches of thick snow covering the ground. Relena was looking out over the perfect white lumps that would be peppered with roses in the summer, and commented on the snowman Trowa and Catherine were making to Hilde who walked beside her. Heero's mother was standing with Dr. J and Heero under one of the trees. Relena wondered if she should go over with them, but her thoughts were interrupted very quickly.

"Yo, Hilde!" Duo called and the petite girl turned to a snowball full in the face. Some of it sprinkled onto Relena, who grinned as Hilde yelled at the boy.

"Duo, you idiot! C'mon Relena, let's get 'im!" she bent quickly and Relena followed suit, both girls grinning as they chased Duo across the snow. Hilde managed to tackle him and, with their combined power, they stuffed handfuls of snow down his back.

Clapping commenced and Relena looked up from where she and Hilde were in the snow, catching sight of Quatre applauding them and chuckling, before Relena cocked her head at Dorothy who stood behind the blonde pilot, then smiled devilishly as she pushed herself up, gathered a mitten-full of snow, and charged the now-frightened boy as Dorothy knocked him down from behind. The two girls stuffed snow down his dark green sweater as he grabbed handfuls of the icy stuff and rubbed it in their hair, grinning and trying to escape.

Hilde was rolling on her back laughing at them, pushing herself up and grinning as the girls finished with their blonde victim before a hard-packed snowball slammed into her head from behind. Turning, she found another one hit her in the face, stinging and wet as it knocked her beret off, but nothing compared to the injuries she'd collected in the war. With malicious intent in her eye, she chucked one back at Duo, dodging another as it came hurtling her way. She only just caught sight of Sally hurling a huge, hard snowball at point blank range into the back of Wufei's head where he sat reading a book by the side of the house, but then was preoccupied as Duo propelled another her way. She hit him in the face with another and the Deathscythe pilot stumbled and fell into Trowa and Catherine's snowman as the siblings watched in wide-eyed horror. Duo shook himself, getting out of the pile of mush he had created from their orderly little snowman, and laughed nervously to the pair before breaking out in a full dash away from them, the siblings hot on his trail.

"Relena!" Duo cried, grabbing the pacifist and holding her as a shield between him and the angry pair, "Protect me!" He glanced around past her head to see Catherine hefting a snowball, waiting for a clear shot. "You wouldn't hurt a princess, would you?" he backed up quickly, dragging Relena with him, so that Trowa couldn't circle around behind him. He eventually ended up with his back to the tree that Heero and his mother were standing under as Duo hid behind the slender girl. Finally, Heero shook his head and detached Duo from his precious shield, taking her aside and slipping one arm around her waist to watch as Duo shrieked and fled a barrage of snow.

Relena blushed in Heero's casual embrace, smiling nervously as she watched the fights continuing. Dorothy had teamed up with Sally upon Wufei, who had made a barrier by tipping the ironwork table on its side. Relena noticed that the blonde warmonger occasionally sent a snowball flying at Quatre, who stood by, trying to keep out of the way.

"Here," Heero's mother came over to the pair and started brushing the snow out of Relena's hair with her fingers. Heero, as if having forgotten that he was still holding her, quickly let go and blushed. To be truthful, it had seemed such a natural position to him, he _had_ forgotten about the real boundaries that separated them. He was still disconcerted about the scene in the wrapping room and was determined not to let anything similar occur, and so had promised to keep his distance from now on. However, he could not help the omnipotent presence of his mother, and knew the necessity of the appearance of affection. How he could accomplish this while still maintaining his diffidence and seclusion would be an interesting feat to observe.


	7. Heat

**Chapter 7: Heat**

Only a week before Christmas, a heat wave hit. The snow sufficiently melted and the mushy ground dried within only three days.

"Relena?!" Milliardo exclaimed as a blur of pink and denim swished past him. The figure skidded to a stop and rolled back to the tall man. Relena stood straight in white roller-blades, blue-jean shorts, and a pale pink t-shirt, posed and smiling cutely, hair bound into a long, bouncy ponytail. On her back was a small darker pink backpack, a brown teddy bear peeking out of the top as if to say hello.

"I'm taking the day off!" she smiled jauntily at him.

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Do you have to wear those things in the house?"

"Yes," she leaned up and kissed his cheek goodbye before grinning to Noin who stood back, smiling at the younger girl.

Relena raced down the hallway and found herself hurtling toward two young men just coming round the corner. Her feet flying out from under her as she tried to stop, she found herself falling into the arms of one of the two figures. Looking up at her savior, she was mildly disappointed to see cheerfully laughing blue-violet eyes, but smiled anyway.

"Hey, watch it there, princess," Duo grinned, setting her back on her feet. "Where are you going this fine winter day?" Heero, beside him, looked quizzically at her outfit.

"Out," Relena placed a white cap flirtatiously on her head, pulling a blonde ponytail through the back. "I'm taking the day off!"

Her exuberance was catching and Duo grinned back at her. Heero just felt left out of the whole affair, so he leaned against the wall and watched, wondering vaguely what his mother would think.

"Not taking anyone?" Duo observed curiously.

Relena's bright eyes dimmed a moment as she looked down, but then she shrugged and smiled. "I didn't figure anybody'd really want to come. And I kinda want to do my own thing today. Too many people just get in the way."

Duo frowned. "But . . . you do need at least one bodyguard."

"And who better than your own husband?" They turned to find Heero's mother with Dr. J in the doorway to her room. What was frightening was that both of them were in bathrobes and looked very . . . refreshed. Heero blinked, Dr. J waved to him cheerfully, and Heero's mother smiled to Relena.

"If he can take a little time off, I wouldn't mind," the Prime Minister smiled sweetly, sounding not so unhappy about it as might be expected from her earlier claim of craving solitude.

After a few minutes, Duo had satisfactorily gotten Heero to change and borrow Duo's dark blue roller-blades. Heero appeared in jeans and a loose navy button-up shirt, manipulating the skates as if he'd grown up on them. Relena only nodded her approval and rolled out the door, not waiting to see if he'd follow.

Heero followed behind the Prime Minister a foot or two, lost in his own thoughts as they reached the street, gliding along the sidewalk. Why had he done that in the wrapping room the other day? Why had his mother come to visit?

He shuddered at the next thought. Why were his mother and Dr. J sleeping together?

"Oof!" Heero slammed into Relena's back as she stopped and knocked into the intersection. Grabbing a pole on the corner to steady himself, his arm shot out and he jerked her back before a black corvette could hit her.

Then, finding blue eyes glaring into his own, he faced the furious girl with more than a little sheepishness to hide. "I _thought_ you were supposed to protect me! Not shove me into the street!" she yelled at him, and he blinked down at her, attempting not to smirk at how cute she was.

"Sorry. Guess I'm out of it today."

"Why?" she looked at him quizzically. She hadn't seen him in so long . . . she had forgotten how beautiful he was, and was painfully reminded at this close proximity as the people around them started across with the "Walk" sign.

"Just things," he nudged her and she realized that they were going to miss their chance to get across, so they headed over. Relena led him to a small, out-of-the-way restaurant she had stumbled across a while back. She would sometimes come for lunch when she had time, and the owner knew her by now.

"AH! Ma petite belle!" a small French man came toward her and kissed both her laughing cheeks. "You're earlier than usual, but at least you beat the rush!" he held her arms and smiled.

"I'm taking the day off, Andre," she grinned back at him, then remembered, "and this is Heero." She gestured to Heero, who nodded at Andre.

"You promised you would _tell_ me when you started dating!" he admonished. Relena opened her mouth to correct him, but Andre bustled them along to a small table in a corner before she could utter a word. He handed Heero a menu and asked if Relena wanted her usual, before going to tell the chef that she was there.

"You're popular," Heero noted before scanning the menu. Relena chuckled.

"Popular enough, I guess." They ate and left with the hearty well-wishes of Andre. Relena then led Heero to the beach. It was a nice day, the air almost chilled, and the water was shockingly chilly. There were very few people out at this time of the year.

Heero watched as Relena took off her roller blades and then he followed suit, walking a few steps behind her down to the sand, where she pulled a tightly rolled up towel from her small backpack, knocking her bear out as well.

Bending, she picked it up and dusted it off carefully before placing it back into her pack. Heero watched her quizzically for a moment, then glanced a little ways away where two women were chatting on their blankets, a child playing in the sand nearby.

Turning back, Heero felt his face go hot at the sight of Relena pulling her shirt over her head. After a moment, he realized that she had a bikini on underneath, but his cheeks still refused to cool as she pushed the shorts down and off, placing them in her backpack on the towel, because her bikini was . . . small.

"I'm gonna swim a little," she told him, looking at the water, and started walking down the sand as Heero watched her dumbly. Shaking himself, he sat on the towel and occupied himself with watching the child's sand castle for a while, then looked about curiously for entertainment, noting Relena's sleek wet head bobbing as she stroked vigorously through the waves. Glancing down, he saw her pack and noticed it sitting beside him for the first time. Curious, he shot the oblivious swimmer a fast glance before opening it and swiftly rifling through. After a moment, he pulled out a small blue velvet book, glancing up quickly before opening it to the middle.

_He's still gone,_ Heero read, his curiosity peaking, _He's never coming back, I know it. He never cared and I'm all alone... so very alone. Nobody understands, not really. I thought _he_ would, but I was fooling myself. I'm an idiot. Oh, I just want to die. . . Heero. I can't believe I still care for him. Why can't I just die and be done with these stupid feelings? Am I wrong for loving a man I barely know?_

Heero flushed, glancing out at where Relena was still oblivious of the invasion of her privacy on the beach. Closing the book, he slipped it back into the bag and put it like before.

Did she still love him? Maybe her feelings had changed . . . Heero shook his head. No, he didn't care. He _wouldn't_ care. Nodding resolutely, he started as Relena suddenly threw herself on the towel beside him.

"Ah, it's cold out here," she shivered, rubbing the goosebumps that had sprung up on her arms in the cool air. Heero started again as she reached across him to grab another towel from her pack, knocking the blue velvet book out in the process. Blushing, she reached for it, but Heero politely picked it up and placed it back in the bag for her. Relena gave him a quick smile of thanks before rubbing herself with the towel.

"Cold?" he asked, and rubbed her arms, surprising her, but the surprise turned to pleasure as he proceeded to massage the tense muscles of her neck and shoulders. When she was properly limp, Relena turned her head to give him an appreciative smile, but he glanced up at the same time, and their gazes caught. Heero's hands on her shoulders stopped, but neither noticed, and his mind flashed back to the diary: _Am I wrong for loving a man I barely know?_ Heero was confused as they sat, looking at each other, his hands resting on her slender shoulders.

"Um," their gaze was broken by a little girl – the same owner of the sand castle – who was sticking a sand-encrusted finger into her mouth and looking at them curiously. "Um," she paused and breathed loudly, indicating a stuffy nose, "are you going to have sex? My mommy says you look like you're about to have sex, and," she paused to breathe again, and moved the finger into her nose, "I've never seen anybody have sex before, so can I watch?" The little girl looked expectantly at them – completely serious – and Heero snapped his hands from Relena's shoulders with unnecessary swiftness.

"Uh," for once the political Miss Darlian-Peacecraft was at a loss for words. "N-no," was all she could get out in the horrified stupor that had covered the pair.

"Your mother shouldn't make assumptions about people she doesn't know," Heero added, his voice scathing, standing with the best glare Relena had ever seen him wield. Under it, the child's eyes grew to enormous proportions and the gritty index-finger fell from her nose, as one of the women chatting on her blanket rose, having just seen them.

"What are you doing to my daughter?" the woman asked, picking up the little girl and glaring up at Heero.

She stopped.

"Madame," he spoke tersely, "I believe in the future it would be best to mind your own business when concerning others – especially with talkative children around." The woman flushed deeply, her eyes widening, and Relena knew she really had said that, but Heero turned from the woman and offered a hand to help the young woman up, which she took. "Relena," he picked up their articles and handed her bag to her, "I think we should go."

"Yeah," she whispered, following him, and didn't look back.


	8. Steam

**Chapter 8: Steam**

The day before Christmas had the whole house in a fervor. Noin and Sally tried their hands in the kitchen and made quite a mess of things. Noin had no talent for the culinary arts, and while the doctor had an eye for detail, it turned out that she had no eye for beauty. The cookies she made were either under- or over-cooked, and it took Catherine's experienced hand to finally straighten things out. She gave the elder women jobs and took quite competently over. Trowa told Quatre, when they passed by, that it was Catherine's experience cooking for the whole circus troop. Quatre only smiled, nodded, and snuck a cookie away before they moved on.

Upstairs, Relena was reading a book, lying on her stomach on her bed. It was a horribly implausible romance about a young woman wanting to kill her brother's murderer, and then falling in love with him.

Relena sighed and rolled over, tucking her teddy bear behind her head and staring up. She closed her eyes and imagined Heero holding her. Her body became warm and she tilted her head back, imagining his lips on hers, his arms around her. Her back arched a bit and her head went further back.

And then she remembered the door was open and she sat up abruptly, forcing her hot cheeks to cool and praying no one had seen her.

She glanced quickly toward the door and her heart almost stopped.

Heero.

Her cheeks flamed again and she turned her back on him, looking amazingly intent on picking at her comforter. She hugged her teddy bear so hard, her arms hurt.

When she looked again, he was gone. Relena breathed a little easier, and eased her grip on the teddy bear. She hoped fervently that he hadn't seen anything . . . but the look in his eyes when she'd seen him . . .

She shivered with a mixture of fear and . . . something else. He'd been staring at her with something dark in his eyes, something deep and hungry. Something . . . heretofore unknown or unheeded.

She glanced at the doorway again and sighed. It was still empty.

Well, she should clean up before the eggnog and such. Christmas Eve was the night that they usually sat up late and swapped stories, laughing and joking together around the tree, with the lights off and the twinkling tree casting a magical glow over everything.

Relena shut the bathroom door behind her and shucked off her clothing, turning on the hot water in the tub. The room warmed as the tub filled and Relena looked at her naked form in the mirror. Scrutinizing her breasts, she sighed and muttered in disgust: "Too small," then turned to adjust the temperature of the water as the mirror finished fogging up.

How was she supposed to compare with more beautiful, well-endowed women like Catherine? she thought as she climbed in the water. Her legs were too thin – they didn't have enough meat – and her breasts were barely even a B cup! Catherine was _at least_ a B and a half. Maybe even a C! How could a barely B-cup girl get a guy like Heero – who didn't even notice girls unless he was forced to – to pay attention to her. Or _kiss_ her!

Although . . . he did kiss her once . . . Relena touched her lips and remembered the wrapping room. Trailing her hand down her throat, over her breasts and to her stomach, she remembered Heero's hands on her shoulders on the beach. She thought about what it would be like if his hands had continued, and if they had trailed over the rest of her.

Half an hour later, she soaped up a loofa and scrubbed her arms and legs, getting the back of her neck and behind her ears with a washcloth.

There was hope, she had decided. Heero had kissed her, so might be attracted to her. It was more probable he was attracted than just putting on a show for his mother, because she doubted he would be able to fake attraction _that_ well. And it still didn't explain the scene at the beach.

Relena got a determined glint in her eye. Yes, he was interested, at least.

She got out of the bath and toweled off, wrapping a towel around herself and slipping the fake wedding band back on its proper finger.

The water was draining as she stepped out of the bathroom, and the shock she might have felt wasn't there as she observed Heero sitting on her bed, flipping through her romance novel – particularly the part she'd bookmarked, which was the raciest scene thus far. If she had been less relaxed from her bath, the tension would have flooded back. But she only made sure the door was closed and went over to her dresser, Heero watching her the whole while. He watched as she walked over, and he watched as she knelt, the towel tightening over her rear.

Relena pulled out some underwear, jeans, and a nice Christmas-y shirt, and stood back up. But when she stood, she bumped right into Heero and dropped her bra at his feet. He was looking down at her with that same look from earlier – the hungry look, his breath coming quickly. He bent and picked up her bra. Relena blushed and reached for it, murmuring a thanks, but his hand evaded her, and he dangled it above her head. Surprised, she stared at him, his dark eyes daring her, promising sweet and impish things.

Understanding the game, though still a little startled, Relena stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, reaching one hand up to snatch at the article of clothing, but though he kissed her back briefly, he broke it and kept the bra just out of her reach. She looked at him, assessing, and walked around him as he turned to follow her movement. She still held her clothes to her chest, but put them down on the bed so she could make a mad dash at his hand, but he just moved away again and kept it held far out away from her. Once she paused to breathe, panting, he gathered up the rest of her clothing and put it under the comforter, sitting on it and folding his arms.

Relena stared at him. Then she laughed a little, partly out of the breathless euphoria and ridiculousness of the situation. She leaned against the wall and just looked at him, appraising. But it was as she watched his eyes move from her own and trail down her throat, over the damp and intimately clinging material of the towel, his gaze lingering on all of her curves, that she finally realized what he wanted. Why he was playing this game.

She walked slowly over to the door and locked it, then turned to Heero, who seemed very interested in her actions. He looked at her lazily, intrigued.

And so she turned to him, looked straight into his eyes, and let the towel fall. Heero's eyes fell from hers as the towel hit the floor, and she could detect a distinct difference in his breathing. He stared at her for long, full moments, just looking and studying and memorizing. He wanted to remember all of her.

Relena walked to him, tilting his head back and leaning over to kiss him properly. Her whole body flushed with the feeling, and Heero placed his palm on her cheek – leaving his other hand firmly on the bed.

When she drew back, she could see that he was trembling. She smiled, tenderly, and kissed him again. When she drew back the second time, she whispered, "Give me my clothes, Heero."

Compliant now, he stood and moved behind her, his hands coming up to briefly touch her breasts and trail down to her hips before throwing himself violently away from her and moving to the other side of the room, to the window where he didn't have to look at her or smell her or feel her warmth.

She picked up her clothing, glanced at him one last time, and went into the bathroom to get dressed.

When she came out again, he was gone.


	9. Eve

**Chapter 9: Eve**

The lights twinkled dim and the eggnog flowed. It was strange and thick and milky-rich, Relena thought, sipping from her glass and watching Duo make Quatre laugh so hard that his cheeks turned a violent red and he had to hold onto his stomach. He ended up half-lying in Dorothy's lap, who was patient while he caught his breath, but promptly shoved him off the couch when he was done. She smirked, he blushed, and Duo chuckled. She could see him murmur a "Sorry."

Noin was in and out of the kitchen with cookies and drinks, Catherine working silently behind the scenes with the food. The tree sparkled in the corner and a small fire was lit. Milliardo sat by it to tend it, the light playing with the outline of his hair.

Relena sat by Heero on the couch, the soft cushions making them fall closer together than she had meant. He put an arm around her but didn't look at her, awareness settling over them. The moment earlier after her bath was an almost physical link both connecting and separating them. His mother kept sending them smiling glances, putting them even more on edge than they were, and Heero was both aware of the soft woman beside him and the way his mother put her hand so intimately on Dr. J's knee. Didn't the woman have any shame?!

All the treats were soon served and Noin and Catherine settled in among the softly chattering group.

It was tradition that everyone open one present on Christmas Eve, so eyes were bright and hands eager as packages were distributed. Out of politeness, Heero and Relena took what Heero's mother handed them, but when it came their turn to open their presents, satisfaction in their gifts was something that was very hard to fake.

Relena stared in poorly disguised horror at a red silk teddy with matching thong underwear. Heero had a bit more trouble figuring what his gift was for, as he could come up with no sensible reason _anyone_ would want fluffy, tiger-print handcuffs.

Relena could see that her brother was about to swallow his tongue in his anger, so she made Heero put the handcuffs away and they politely thanked his mother. After another moment of shocked silence, Duo started laughing very hard and could barely keep from bursting into chuckles as he opened his present, shaking his head repeatedly over the incongruity of it all.

"I hope you enjoy them," Heero's mother smiled before everyone went up to bed. "I'm sure that will look lovely on you, dear."

"Thank you," Relena smiled, all her political training coming heavily to the fore. Even so, she couldn't keep a blush back.

"Young couples always like those kinds of things," she winked knowingly and left the girl to stand on her own.

In their room later that night, barely before the two could get inside themselves, Milliardo rapped gently on the door and asked for a moment alone with Heero. Relena stood in the hallway, worried, and hoped her brother wasn't being too harsh on the unsuspecting man.

When she was allowed to go back in, Heero's mouth was thin and the Christmas present was over in an obscure corner.

"Heero?" Relena asked, and he sighed.

"You could have told me what they were," he grated, "instead of letting me hold them up in front of everyone."

She blushed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't even see what you got," he pushed on, "but now I'm pretty sure I don't want to."

"Just clothes," she murmured. "Underthings. Not quite as bad as . . ." She looked over at the corner, then turned her attention to the man who was straightening his sheets with more passion than she'd seen anyone use on a bed. "Heero . . ." she remembered earlier that day and for a moment her embarrassment was replaced by another, warmer emotion, "would you . . . kiss me?"

His hands stopped and his eyes went hard. "No." At her dejected look, he added bitterly, "You're 'just doing me a favor.' I shouldn't 'take advantage of you.'" They were obviously Milliardo's words.

Relena was annoyed. I don't _want_ to do you a favor, she thought. I want to do _you_! Then she was astonished with herself and went to get her comfortable, _sensible_ pajamas, blushing and ashamed. This wasn't going at all like she wanted it to.

She just needed to get to sleep, she decided as she picked up her Gundam toothbrush. Lots and lots of nice, healing, _safe_ sleep.

Why did safe sleep make her think of safe sex?

Frustrated with herself and the word plays going on in her head, she spat out her toothpaste and flounced out of the bathroom to feed her bird. It was on Heero's side of the room, by the window, so she had to pass his bed. He was already in it, reading. She tried to ignore him, but as she poured a little birdseed into Zero's bowl, she glanced back at him.

And smiled, holding back a soft gasp of laughter. She must have made a small choked noise, though, because he glanced up at her grumpily.

"What?"

She smiled. "You wear glasses?"

He frowned, but took them off self-consciously. "Just to read."

"You're like an old man," she grinned.

He looked at her until she stopped smiling and turned away, and was overwhelmed with the sight of how pretty she was. She looked so soft in her pajamas, and he was immediately drawn back to the moment with her towl, when she'd locked the door and . . .

He shook his head. He was being an idiot -- hadn't her brother just warned him about even having _thoughts_ about his sister?! Heero sighed and turned off his lamp. He just needed to get to sleep. It'd been a long, strange day -- and he hoped to God that the rest of his friends didn't have the same twisted humor his mother did.

But as he settled down into his covers, a weight settled over his legs. He opened his eyes to find Relena straddling him.

Cool panic was his first reaction. And then, as she pressed higher against his pelvis, it bloomed into something hotter.

"Get off," he grunted, and pulled her around to his side, rather than on top of him. He glared at her through the darkness and her eyes were wide and hurt. "Do you have any idea what your brother would _do_ to me?!" he hissed.

She glared at him. "I didn't want to do anything _bad_, Heero. I just wanted . . ." she fiddled with her fingers.

"What?" He was exasperated with her.

"I like you," she said very firmly, looking him in the eye. "And you're attracted to me, or something, because otherwise you wouldn't react the way you do. And I just . . ." There were tears in her eyes. "I just wanted you to kiss me again. I like it when you kiss me. But you won't." She trailed off in a whisper.

Heero sighed and relented. "Okay." And he kissed her.

It was far too impersonal to start with. Perfunctory and duty-bound. But after Relena worried at his lips for a few moments with licking and nipping, she lost all conscious thought with his reaction.

It wasn't as charged as that morning with the towel. It wasn't as sweet as the first in the wrapping room. But as Heero released her, breathing roughly, and murmured that he did like her -- very much -- it was somehow better than the rest. And as Heero put her sleeping form into her bed later that night, he allowed himself a small smile of triumph.

God, her brother would kill him.


	10. Christmas

**Chapter 10: Christmas**

Christmas morning. The air smelled fresh and bright and Relena couldn't help the curl of excitement in her stomach as she slipped out of bed. First things first, she thought, grabbing some clothes and running through her morning bathroom routine.

Returning to the room, she threw the curtains open, glad she was wearing a warm sweater when the cold light hit her, and received a disgruntled moan from the twin of her bed. She merely smiled, skipped over to Heero's bed, and threw back his blankets, earning herself a glare.

"It's cold," he muttered, yanking the blankets back up, and she glared back at him.

"Then go take a hot shower and you'll feel better!" She whirled on one heel and headed downstairs to feed her bird. It seemed that nightingales, living up to their names, liked to sing at night, when Relena preferred to sleep. And it seemed that Heero hadn't liked the noise much either, since he got so fed up with the creature that he cocked his gun at it in the dark and threatened, in his own silent way, to blow the feathery nuisance's brain out if Relena didn't remove it. Catherine had offered to feed it every morning since then, since she got up before Relena did, but she was up so early this morning that she hoped to make it before Catherine did.

"Hey Sally," Relena offered, watching the woman pad over to the table in a fluffy robe and two bunny slippers, a cup of coffee in each hand. She set one down before a groggy Wufei and sipped her own leisurely, watching as Relena checked the birdcage and gleefully stuffed the creature's bowl with seed.

"He's going to get fat," she commented, amused.

"And lazy and incompetent and mmphw," Wufei commented before Sally's hand went over his mouth and she told him to drink his coffee.

Relena only smiled at them. They were so nice together – so natural. Would she ever be like that?

It was almost noon before everyone was up, drifting down the stairs and attacking the coffee pot. Relena tried to make sure there was fresh coffee for everyone, but a few had to wait for a new pot to brew before they could partake.

"Time to open presents," Heero's mother proclaimed when she and Dr. J finally arrived.

Everyone followed her into the living room, quietly eager to get to their gifts. Duo offered to help pass the gifts out and Hilde helped him, filling laps and floor space quickly with colorful boxes and bulges.

Then the room was filled with the sounds of ripping paper and laughter, warmth and harmony. Relena got lots of stationary, a gold pen, some picture frames, and a very special card from Noin.

"You're pregnant!" Relena cried, jumping up and hugging her sister-in-law. Milliardo's face took on a stunned, then goofy-happy look as Duo patted him on the back.

Heero's mother looked at the pair, then sent her son a very significant look. A look that, just in case he didn't understand, she repeated loudly in the foyer as she and Dr. J got their suitcases ready to be shipped out the door. Her leaving was probably the best present Heero had gotten that Christmas. "I expect to see the patter of my grandchildren around here next Christmas."

"You're coming . . . next Christmas?" Heero gulped, and everyone stared at the woman as she nodded cheerfully.

"Just remember!" she called, following the suitcase-laden Dr. J out.

As the door shut, the room was silent and stunned. Heero turned toward the blank gaze of Relena. "So," he said, gulping. "Wanna get married? Like, right now?"

Still in slight shock, she shook her head as the question registered as serious . . .

Then her insides did a victory cheer, and her eyes lit up. "Sure."

He grabbed her hand and hauled her post haste toward the garage. "Grab a priest!" he yelled to the crowd behind him, already planning to make Relena pull a few strings to rush a marriage license on Christmas day.

She merely laughed, and ran behind him.

Something she gladly did for the rest of her life.


	11. Epilogue: Wedding

**Epilogue: Wedding**

The wedding, put off for a week (to Heero's impatience), was supposed to be quiet, private, and elegant.

So of course, screaming reporters were banging on the doors and the florist sent over fuchsia bouquets. Adding the florist's no-return policy to Noin's headache and Sally's hangover, and throwing in a dash of the handsome best man trying to kill Trowa for being the stripper at his little sister's bachelorette party, and Relena would not be a bit surprised at the photos that would come out in the tabloids the next day.

Screams of "I'LL KILL YOU!" rang like bells through the chapel, and the girls all sighed and continued to nurse their aching heads.

Noin had been in charge of Relena's bachelorette party, but hadn't had a clue of what to do, so had appealed to Catherine for help. Catherine, getting a clueless Trowa into a cute little officer's uniform, had shoved him in a hollow cake and rolled the thing into the main room.

Naturally, when Trowa struggled his way out, annoyed at Catherine and frustrated with the way his stupid shorts rode up – "Try this on for size," he muttered, pushing the top up and pulling himself halfway out. "The circus boss sent it over to try on. Well he can bite my scantily clad . . ." giggles and ogling greeted him, and his blank face turned a sharp pink and he slunk slowly and carefully back into the giant cake.

When Catherine tapped on it and grinned at the girls, she received a bellow from the cavern of hollow dessert – "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, CATHERINE!"

So now, just before the wedding, Trowa was using his amazing acrobatic skills to just barely avoid the marauding hands of the bride's offended brother. Relena finally sent the headachy Noin out to solve the situation. Milliardo wouldn't attack while his pregnant wife was in the way.

She hoped.

In the meantime, Sally mixed a potent hangover cure that smelled like tar and tasted worse. Relena tried a little and then ran to gag and brush her teeth, Hilde keeping her hair and veil back and making sure that she didn't get any toothpaste on her pretty white dress.

The ceremony was fine. Milliardo took her to the front and stood behind Heero after he gave her away, still casting suspicious glares back at Trowa every now and then. Relena's mother was in the first row, and Heero's mother had not been invited.

Hilde kept sneezing and Sally took her flowers when she realized Hilde was allergic to them. The ring bearer, a small random child, kept stepping out of line to take pictures that his mother wanted to sell to the magazines, and the flower girl, his sister, kept scratching herself.

At the reception, Relena looked at her friends and family and smiled to herself. She took Heero's hand under the table and listened to speeches being made – noting that Hilde's face was so puffy now that no one could understand what she was saying and deciding that she would talk to Sally about taking her to a hospital after the reception.

When it was time to go, Relena took one last look at her friends, opened the door to the screaming reporters and bomb-like camera flashes, grabbed Heero's hand, and thought to herself, "I'm a really lucky girl."


End file.
